Container with adjustable package holder



Dec. 8, 1931. R. T. CASE CONTAINER WITH ADJUSTABLE PACKAGE HOLDER Fil ed March 3, 1930 Patented Dec. 8, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HOLLAND T. CASE, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN CONTAINER WITH ADJUSTABLE PACKAGE HOLDER Application filed March 3,

-This invention relates to containers and more particularly to containers having a package or support for material therein, which may be adjusted in height with reference to the bottom of the container to render the contents conveniently accessible from the upper end. 7

While the invention is adapted for wide general use, in connection with all relatively 10 deep containers having an open upper end,'1t is especially applicable to tobacco containers or tins such as arecommonly used at' this time. i

The conventional tobacco tin is relatively deep compared to itswidth and thickness and contains therein a package consisting of a paper wrapper within which the tobacco is packed. This package is supported upon the bottom of the container and its contents are removed from the upper end. After the upper portion of the contents is removedit is often difficult to remove the packed material within the lower portion of the'container, as this usually must be loosened and as it is diflioult to project the fingers into the bottom of the container.

It is anobject of my inventionto provide a container having therein a simple but'high- 1y efiicient' supporting means for holding the package at various heights with respect to the bottom of the container, in orderthat the bottom portion of the contents maybe easily removed from the open upper end of the container.

It is a further object to provide a simple and efficient device for progressively supporting the contents of a container at higher levels in order that the top of the material or contents may always be positioned substantially at the upper end of the container for convenient removal.

A further object is to provide in combination with a container and a package or wrapped filler of material, a device for permitting the package or filler to be successively raised to higher levels and which .will prevent the filler or package from again dropping to the bottom of the container.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the 1930. Serial No. 432,799.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, with the contents of the package partially consumed and supported some distance above the bottom of the container;

Fig. i is a side elevation showing my package supporting clip detached;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the package supporting clip applied to a package for insertion into a container; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a somewhat modified form of the invention, wherein the package supporting means are formed integrally with one of the walls of the container.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated is applied to a common type of tobacco can,- usually comprising a relatively deep container 0 constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material having a bottom 7 and an open upper end provided witha hinged lid 8, which is adapted to surround the upper edge. Such containers are usually wide rel atively to the thickness thereof in order that they may be conveniently carried in the pocket. Tobacco or other material M is shown as packed in the usualpaper wrapper W, which encircles the material and is folded over at its upper and lower ends, usually forming a moisture-proof casing for the material. In accordance with my invention, I provide a clip or supporting-member 9, which may be constructed from a strip of thin metal having some resiliency, the lower end 9a of said clip being turned in the form of a U to surround the lower end ofthe package or wrapper. The body of the clip is preferably positioned longitudinally and medially of the package. To fill the container the package, with the clip thereon, is inserted through the upper end of container C being pushed to the extreme lower end of the container and the upper end 96 of the clip may be out-turned slightly to nicely engage a small flap or detent 10, which may be struck from the upper end of container C, and which is inclined downwardly and slightly outwardly to limit the upward movement of clip 9. Clip 9 is provided with a series of inclined and upwardly extending teeth or flaps 90 which may be cut and struck out from the material of the body of the clip adapted to engage and adjust-ably support the package from its lower edge;

I prefer in forming the package, to provide a bottom plate 11 of substantially similar shape but smaller dimensions than the cross section of the container and preferably con structed of sheet metal or cardboard. The wrapper, if desired, may be scored along a series of lines 12 encircling the same to form zones in the wrapping material, which may be conveniently torn off as the contents are successively consumed.

In utilizing my structure, the upper strata of material is first removed andthe package may then be grasped by the upper edges of the wrapper and elevated within the con.- tainer until the lower edge, distended by plate 11, slips past the teeth 90 of clip 9, bringing the contents of the package again to a position adjacent the upper edge of the container. The upper portion of the wrapper may then be torn away, broken on the scored line, if scoring is provided, or sheared by drawing the wrapping material against the upper edge of the container. The pack-- age will be supported in elevated position by the tooth or flap 90 and cannot slip downwardly to the bottom of the container.

From time to time, as the material is consumed,.the package may be elevated successively until the entire contents are removed. The contents will always be maintained ad jacentv the. upper edge of the container for convenient removal. The package cannotbe lowered into the container without removing the clip and replacing the same upon the lower end of the container.

The teeth or flaps 9c are usually made sufficiently resilient to readily yield and'permit the package to be elevated, but in many types of containers constructed from thin sheet metal, there is sufiicient flexibility or resil iency in the wall of the container itself to afford the yielding action desired, so that the clip and teeth if desired may be constructedof. rigid material.

In Fig. 6, I illustrate a somewhat modified form of the invention. Here one of the walls, shown, the front wall of the container) is crimped or pressed inwardly to form a series of upwardly extending notches 13, corresponding to the teeth or flaps 9c of the form first described and serving to adj'ustalily support the' package and contents of the container at various levels with respect to the bottom thereof. This form of the invention is usually applied to thin sheet metal or cardboard containers having adequate flexibility or resiliency to permit the package to be easily elevated.

In the case of containers having disposed therein successive layers of articles, such as confections, a bottom plate such as the plate 11 maybe provided and a flexible member securedto oneedge of the container passed below the plate with its free end projecting from the upperendof the container and this may be pulled instead of elevating the wrapper to raise-the bottom plate and contents.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have invented an extremely simple but highly efiicient container structure for adjustably supporting material at various levels within the container to facilitate its removal therefrom, as it is successively consumed. The added cost of my structure to conventional containers now in use is practically negligible and the annoyance and diiiiculty of removing the material from the bottom of the container are entirely obviated.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What. is claimed is:.

In combination with a container having a substantially verticalwalland an open upper end and a package of material shaped to fit said container, a clip having means resiliently surrounding. the lower end of said package and insertable with said package into said container, said clip having, a substantially vertical elongated arm having a series of'spaced projections cut out there from and extending. upwardly at an angle to the body of. said armiand means associated with the upper endof said clip for holding the samev against upward displacement.

Intestimony whereof I aflix my-signature.

ROLLAND T. CASE. 

